A VET’S surgery in Wilmslow is installing CCTV cameras to catch owners who dump their pets as freezing shelters burst with abandoned animals.

Staff at Broom Cottage say the recession and owners becoming fed up with Christmas pets have contributed to this festive period being the worst ever for deserted creatures.

This is echoed by the town’s animal carers who are struggling to care for the animals in the snow and ice.

The Chapel Lane surgery hopes cameras will put people off ditching their pets.

Louise Haran, trainee veterinary nurse at Broom Cottage, which took in four abandoned cats in two weeks before Christmas, said: "It’s become a serious problem and we hope we can catch people with the CCTV.

"The abandoned animals cost us money, we have to run tests on them, perhaps keep them in isolation and pay for treatments.

"The owners are sneaky and dump them when we are at our busiest." Louise puts the record dumping down to cash-strapped owners having sick pets.

She added: "We often get older pets which have become ill and people just dump them.

"When the animal comes to us we don’t know anything about its background, it’s not fair on the animal. There are places people can take their animals if they really can’t look after them."

The surgery works closely with Wilmslow foster group Animals Support Volunteers (ASV).

Evelyne Hulme, 65, one of the volunteers who currently has six foster animals as well as her own two dogs and six cats at her Gravel Lane home, said that many abandoned animals are unwanted Christmas presents.

She said:"We never rehome an animal before Christmas because people have them as presents and get fed up, realise they have to pay for them and dump them. This year has been worse, with the credit crunch and people being made redundant, it's been hard on the animals and on us."

Evelyne's latest intake includes kittens Mirissa and Suraj - dumped in a garden in Congleton.

She said: "Both kittens are shy but coming along fine. It's a labour of love for me, foster homes give abandoned animals a second chance. Animals are treated like disposables and it's wrong. People should think carefully before adopting a pet, we see unnecessary misery caused by irresponsible owners who rely on sanctuaries and foster homes to make their four-legged problem go away."

Wilmslow Animal Sanctuary currently has 40 cats and a variety of animals including ferrets, donkeys and guinea pigs waiting for homes - and freezing conditions are making their care more difficult.

David McCallam, of the sanctuary, said:"It's always bad at Christmas but this year has been particularly bad with the current financial situation. The cold weather is making it hard to cope."

Wilmslow Animal Sanctuary, on Newgate, is open every day for people thinking about adopting an animal, contact 01625 520802.